Northern Ireland secretary condemns Belfast riots as ‘racist thuggery’ after 12 police officers injured – UK politics live

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris condemned the Belfast riots as "racist thuggery" on June 11, 2026, following clashes that left 12 police officers injured. Heaton-Harris stated that targeting individuals based on their skin color could only be described as such. The unrest, which saw police deploy water cannon, has been linked to anti-immigrant sentiment. Gavin Robinson MP, the DUP leader, also commented on the situation, emphasizing the need to protect UK borders and suggesting that violence on Tuesday night was less severe than on Monday. Robinson criticized the rioters' behavior as "un-British" despite their stated concerns about "damage to British values."